Burnham-On-Sea’s Tui travel agent store is set to re-open shortly, the firm has told Burnham-On-Sea.com this week.
The Burnham store has been shut since the Spring due to the worldwide downturn on international travel during the Covid pandemic.
But the branch in the High Street has been saved from closure, confirm staff. Maintenance work has been underway this week ahead of its re-opening.
Tui, the UK’s largest tour operator, said during the summer that would shut 166 High Street stores across the UK and Ireland, affecting up to 900 jobs. About 350 retail stores would remain following the closures.
The outlets set to close have been chosen based on a number of factors, including local market data and “predictions on the future of travel”, the firm said.
The company announced in May that it planned to cut around 8,000 jobs globally as it sought to reduce overhead costs by 30% in a major restructuring.
“We want to be in the best position to provide excellent customer service, whether it’s in a High Street store, over the telephone or online, and will continue to put the customer at the heart of what we do,” said Andrew Flintham, managing director of Tui UK and Ireland.
“It is therefore imperative that we make these difficult cost decisions, look after our colleagues during such unprecedented uncertainty and also offer a modern customer service.”
“Customer behaviours have already changed in recent years, with 70% of all Tui UK bookings taking place online. We believe Covid-19 has only accelerated this change in purchasing habits, with people looking to buy online or wishing to speak with travel experts from the comfort of their own home.”
